Silos are a barrier to productivity, collaboration and innovation. And silos affect customer experience. Think of the last time you called your bank, insurer, telco (insert relevant call centre) only to be greeted by a menu of choices, select 1 for etc. and then only to find yourself getting passed ‘pillar to post’ till you find the right department, each time having to explain your problem again! Ahhhh!….Imagine if there were no silos..

1. People would be empowered to solve problems
2. There would be shared ownership of the organisation goals
3. People would openly exchange ideas and concerns
4. Information would flow freely across the organisation
5. People would work together to achieve results

So how can you eliminate silos?

Focus on common goals. Make sure everyone in the organisation can describe the top 3 goals for the business and how their role contributes to them. Ask each department what their priorities are and check that they are aligned and not competing with each other.

Promote teamwork and collaboration. Achieve this by being a good leader and setting the example. The next time someone comes to you with a problem help them by involving others to get a better solution.

Define relationships as well as responsibilities. People are more effective when they have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. But also, what relationships do they need to manage? Ask them, who depends on them and who do they depend on to be effective?

Provide open feedback on results. Keep people focused on the big picture and share data across the whole business. Encourage open discussion about results and ask how teams and individuals can better support each other to improve performance.

Reward and recognise collaborative behaviours. A champion team will always outperform a team of champions, so make sure you are rewarding and recognising collaborative practices as much as you are individual performances.

Silos may not be easy to spot because they are like invisible walls between individuals and departments. So, listen out for clues in the language such as “us and them”, “that’s not my responsibility” or “that’s not my problem” and take action. The leader’s role is to take proactive steps to link the individuals and departments in the organisation so that they perform better together.